We are all spending a lot of time inside our homes. How much do you REALLY need? For those whose homes are a disorganized clutter zone, this could be stressful and result in more anxiety than isolating already brings to the table. If you are constantly tripping over stuff on the floor, and having to […]
We are all spending a lot of time inside our homes. How much do you REALLY need? For those whose homes are a disorganized clutter zone, this could be stressful and result in more anxiety than isolating already brings to the table. If you are constantly tripping over stuff on the floor, and having to look at stacks of papers and magazines on top of various surfaces, or have counters filled with ‘who knows what’ then this needs to change.
During this sheltering experience, I have pondered the question of “How much do we really need?” I’m in the middle of moving – yes, during a pandemic – so back in late February knowing moving was imminent, I packed a lot of items that were, what I consider, non-essential things: artifacts, décor, extra kitchen items, spare bedding items, books, and the like. I then staged my home to show for sale.
Since I keep a pretty minimalistic environment as a rule, there is not a lot of difference between when the packed items were around and the now lessened amount in the staged version. I can now say, however, that after nearly two months of sheltering in place – there is really not much needed to be completely content.
I have always felt that people live with too much stuff – particularly in the United States, and having traveled around the world I can attest to that from what I saw. I found that when I have to consider what my “needs” are based on taking the risk of going to a store, or buying something online and all the cleaning and mindfulness surrounding bringing something into my environment, I am forced to consider “what value is that item bringing to my life?”
I have found that food, good healthy food, is priority #1. So I called up the store that I like buying high quality olive oil and vinegar from and supported their business. I also enjoy good tea (I don’t drink coffee), and purchased teas from three different independently owned shops.
Ultimately, I paid attention to those things that would make my life better or easier, such as noticing that my reading glasses were no longer doing their job and I needed new ones. I have mostly bought things that are necessary, in addition to allowing me to make life easier, more productive, and increase joy.
This way I can do my work, engage in my hobbies, connect with others, and be happy doing so. The reason I mention these purchases is because when I have suggested living a more minimalistic life in past articles, people have countered with their not wanting to stop buying things.
And I am not suggesting you never buy anything again – because that isn’t going to happen – but be realistic with what you do buy. Make sure that what you bring into your home is providing some value. Ask yourself what it will add to your life.
Notice I did not stop being a consumer – but I didn’t waste my efforts on things that were not going to bring something positive into my life for the time, money, and energy expended. This supports the economy and keeps your budget in mind as well.
Be safe. Stay healthy.
***Written by Juli Shulem
Contact us at Speakers Inc and follow us on Twitter
How much do you REALLY need? belongs to these Categories
Mastering the Art of a Business Emcee New York: Elevating Conferences with Speakers Inc In the bustling metropolis of New York, where innovation and business convergence are the heartbeat of the city, the role of a Business Emcee takes center stage. As a pivotal element in orchestrating conferences and corporate events, a skilled emcee plays […]
How much could your team accomplish if they felt safe they couldn’t fail with a SAFETY NET? In San Francisco on January 5th 1933 construction began on the Golden Gate Bridge. The chief engineer assigned to the project was Joseph Strauss. Bridge building was extremely dangerous back then and the industry norm was one construction […]
Captains Log 13th -17th June 29 05’474 N 128 01’447W Pacific Ocean Milestones-The waterline/ Hatches & rouge waves/MOB take 2 -Injuries /Slow is pro / It’s all shifting / Maslow’s hierarchy of Needs / Story of the clever turd! / Shifting spaces / Into the light.. Breakthrough/ Flicker on! / Shifting goalposts/ Threading the needle/ […]
Chris Bertish Captains Log July, 2022 26° 50.56 N, 134° 27.03 W Pacific Ocean Storms of the mind / Taking the on-ramp – SuperHighway bound / First signs of the Trades or not! Decoy.. / De-stinkify day- Swim day / Tech issues- backups & redundancies / The gift -Mind & shape shifting / The shuffle! / […]
Dunder Mifflin Leadership Wisdom Part Two – Recognition is the Fuel of Motivation Welcome back to the Dunder Mifflin School of Leadership, where we draw inspiration from the legendary antics of The Office’s Michael Scott, Jim Halpert, Dwight Schrute and the rest of the zany cast. A very quick recap of last week’s note – these […]
Heading to Dallas from Kansas City recently, I heard the familiar tone of the voice over the intercom start up and to Self Care When Burned: “Ladies and Gentlemen, we’ve got a full flight to Dallas today…” Travel is BACK and flights are almost always full again, so I couldn’t be surprised by what came […]
Getting out of sync with a relatively new habit is easy. Getting back into the flow with that new habit is exceptionally hard. Stop Prospecting. Two habits I have started, stopped and restarted several times are daily writing and prospecting. So today, I’m going to write about prospecting… I’m not sure that counts as actual prospecting, […]
Do you have to be a manager or executive to Being A Leader? No! Leading others is a choice. It isn’t about your title. Many people with executive titles are terrible leaders, and many people without a fancy title are outstanding leaders. More than your title, being a leader is about influencing change and inspiring […]
Our Mission
© All rights reserved 2024. Speakers Inc
Cookie | Duration | Description |
---|---|---|
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics | 11 months | This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". |
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional | 11 months | The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". |
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary | 11 months | This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". |
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others | 11 months | This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. |
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance | 11 months | This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". |
viewed_cookie_policy | 11 months | The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data. |